Cartridge-syringe with movable finger grips



CARTRIDGE-SYRINGE WITH MOVABLE FINGER GRIPS Filed April 29, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIGZ.

INVENTOR ANDRBQ W V.HARROLD MW Kdkr ATTORNEY y 21, 1968 A. v. HARROLD 3,384,082

CARTRIDGE-SYRINGE WITH MOVABLE FINGER GRIPS 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR ANDREW V. HARROLD BY Mm- K066? AT TORN EY United States Patent 3,384,082 CARTRIDGE-SYRINGE WITH MOVABLE FINGER GRIPS Andrew V. Harrold, West Chester, Pa., assignor to American Home Products Corporation, New York,

N.Y.. a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 546,341 6 Claims. (Cl. 128-218) This invention relates generally to hypodermic syringes, and more particularly to a novel cartridge-syringe as sembly provided with movable finger grips.

In U.S.P. 2,671,450, there is described and claimed an injection syringe and cartridge assembly which has met wide acceptance in the medical field because of its many inherent advantages, among which are case of use, assurance of uniform dosage, assurance of sterility to the time of use, and avoidance of the possibility of crossinfection amongst patients. In recognition of the foregoing and other advantages, literally millions of such and equivalent assemblies, which are available commercially under the Tubex trademark, have been used by the medical profession.

As described in said US. patent, there is provided, as part of the injection syringe and cartridge assembly, a metal syringe body which is provided with a barrel having two longitudinal side slots, a threaded opening at the distal end, and a head pivoted at the proximal end. Said head has mounted thereon a pair of finger grips and carries a slidable push rod, which has a thumb piece at its proximal end and a threaded fitting at its distal end adapted to fit and connect with a threaded inset provided on the reciprocable plunger of the cartridge unit used therewith and later described briefly herein.

conventionally, in the above-described and similar types of syringes, the aforesaid finger grips are fixedly mounted on the pivotable head so that regardless of the positioning of the head on the syringe barrel, these finger pieces project laterally from their mountings to their maximum extent at all times. In other types of syringes, exemplified by those disclosed and claimed in U.S.P. 2,994,323 (and also available under the Tubex trademark); the finger grips may instead be fixedly mounted on the proximal end of the barrel itself, but similarly extend their maximum lateral distance at all times.

Because of the aforesaid arrangement of the finger grips fixedly on the head attached to the barrel, or in other instances as referred to above, fixedly on the proximal end of the barrel itself; the devices do not lend themselves to packaging and storing in a minimum space.

The syringes of the type referred to hereinbefore are conventionally used with a disposable cartridge-needle unit comprising an ampule which may be charged with an injectable medicament and having fixedly mounted at the distal end thereof, a hub and needle assembly. The hub of said assembly is crimped to a flanged opening which is provided at said distal end of the ampule for such purpose. The needle, in turn, is fixedly mounted in said hub, and has removably mounted thereon a flexible sleeve which is closed at one end and is adapted to surround the needle for sealing the distal end thereof and maintaining sterility of the needle prior to use. The ampule is closed at the proximal end by the aforesaid slidable plunger provided with the threaded inset adapted for attachment with the aforesaid threaded fitting of the push rod reciprocably mounted in the head of the syringe body, as referred to hereinbefore.

As used hereinbefore, and in the following disclosure and in the claims, the term proximal is intended to denote a direction towards the push rod end of the syringe (and hence also towards the plunger end of the cartridge unit adapted to be retained in the syringe), and the term distal, a direction opposite that described for the tern proximal (and hence also towards the needle end 0 the cartridge unit).

In consideration of the aforesaid one drawback of th otherwise highly advantageous syringe devices referre to hereinbefore (namely, that said devices, because 0 their fixed, and hence laterally extended finger grips do not permit them to be packaged and/or stored in minimum storage space); it is a primary object of the pres ent invention to provide a syringe assembly, which, be cause of a novel arrangement of its finger pieces, is thu adapted to be packaged and/or stored in a minimun space.

Another object of the invention is to provide such device, which, nevertheless, partakes of the recognizer advantages of the aforesaid syringe assemblies of the prio art.

In accordance with the present invention, the syringe i provided with movable finger grips which are extendabl to operable position for use and collapsible to a positioi substantially close to the maximum diameter of the syring barrel, whereby the syringe may occupy a minimum cross sectional space when not containing a cartridge unit. A a salient feature of the invention, the finger pieces ar automatically extended to operative position by insertio: of a cartridge unit, and maintained in operative positior as long as the unit is in the syringe. Additionally, th finger grips are related to the pivotable head of that typ of syringe so that the desired cooperative relationshi of said finger grips and said pivotable head is not adversel affected. I

The foregoing and other structural features and ac vantages of the invention will become apparent upon better understanding of the invention, of which severe embodiments are now described in greater detail hereir after, with reference to the drawings wherein:

'FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a cartridge-syring assembly embodying the invention and shown with cartridge in place in the syringe and ready for use;

FIG. 2 is another side elevational view of the syring of FIG. 1, which, in this instance does not contain cartridge unit, and hence has the finger grips thereof, a well as the push-rod, in collapsed position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the syringe, 0 FIGS. 1 and 2, again shown without a cartridge containetherein as in FIG. 2, and hence with the finger grips i collapsed position, but with the head pivoted aside t permit insertion of a cartridge unit shown with its sheathe needle end just being inserted into the syringe;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section of th proximal part of the barrel of the syringe of FIGS. 1, and 3, taken axially of the latter figure;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-section of the syring barrel similar to that of FIG. 4, but in this instance shovs ing an initial stage of actual insertion of the cartridg unit (shown in fragmentary elevation) into the syring barrel and at a point where only the smaller diameter c the hub of the unit has abutted the flared edges of th finger grips, whereby the latter have been extended pal tially;

FIG. 6 is another cross-sectional view similar to th: of FIG. 5, but in this instance showing the cartridge un pushed further into the syringe barrel so that th maximum diameter of the hub of the unit has urged th finger pieces to their fully extended and operative pos tion, in which they are maintained by the walls of th glass ampule, as appears in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of the proxim: part of a syringe barrel embodying a modified form r the invention; and

FIG. 8 is another side elevation of the embodimei 3 disclosed in FIG. 7; the view, in this instance, being taken .n the direction of arrows 88 of FIG. 7.

Referring to FIGURES 1-6 of the drawings, a syringe Jody 1 is provided with a barrel 2 having two longi- :udinal side walls 3 defining therebetween a pair of longi- :udinal slots 4. The distal end 5 of barrel 2 is provided with an apertured closure 6 having internal threads 7 in :he aperture 8 therein. At the open proximal end 9 of sand 2, the syringe body has, pivotably mounted therean, by means of pivot pins 10, a pair of pivot arms 11. Fixedly mounted on the free ends 12 of pivot arms 11 for movement therewith, is a head 13' having an aper- :ure 14 therethrough and functioning, in effect as a twingable closure for the open proximal end 9 of barrel 2.

Slidably mounted in said aperture 14 in head 13, is 1 push rod 15. Push rod 15 has, at its proximal end, a :humb piece 16, and at its distal end, an axially disposed internally threaded bore (not visible) which is adapted :o be connected with the threaded inset (also not visible) at the plunger 17 slidably mounted within the cartridge Jnit 18.

At the proximal end 9 of barrel 2 are mounted two pairs of lugs or ears 19 which may be struck from the web of barrel 2 or affixed thereto, as by welding, bolting, awaging, or the like. In any case, a slot 19a is provided :hrough the web of barrel 2 and between said ears 19 for a purpose that will appear hereinafter. Each pair of :ars 19 functions as a respective bearing mounted for a tpindle bolt 20, on each of which is pivotably mounted a inger grip 21. Each finger grip 21 has two opposed curved ;urfaces 22 and 23. Each curved surface 22 is contoured :o fit a finger of the user of the device. Each curved surface 23 is contoured so that, in the collapsed position of :he finger pieces 21, said surfaces 23 protrude a minimum iistance from the maximum diameter of the barrel 2, with said curved surfaces 23 accommodated in slots 19a, is appears in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. The proximal ends 24 3f finger pieces 21, Le. in the region of the pivotal attachnent thereof to spindle bolts have a first fiat surface Z5, and a second surface 26, which is also substantially fiat. Each first surface 25 is again provided to minimize :he lateral projection of finger pieces 21 when they are in the aforesaid collapsed position. The second flat surfaces 26 are provided to permit full entry of the car- ;ridge unit 18 into the syringe barrel 2 after finger pieces 21 are pivoted outwardly by the bearing of the larger diameter portions of cartridge unit 18 on the contoured surfaces extending through slots 19a, as shown in FIG. 1 and best seen in FIG. 6.

As appears in FIG. 2, when the syringe barrel 2 contains no cartridge unit 18, push rod 15 may be inserted in aperture 14 to its extreme inward position, and finger pieces 21 may be pivoted to the collapsed condition. With such relationship of parts as disclosed in FIG. 2, the syringe barrel 2 is adapted to occupy a minimum space for shipment and/or storage.

When the syringe barrel 2 is to receive a cartridge unit 18 prior to use, push rod 15 is drawn out, and thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3, head 13 is swung by means of pivot arms 11 on their pivot pins 10, away from the open proximal end 9 of barrel 2, thereby to permit insertion into said barrel 2, of cartridge unit 18, with the sheathed needle end 27 first.

The cartridge unit 18 comprises a glass ampule 28 having the plunger 17 thereof slidably mounted therein adjacent the open end 30 thereof, and a ferrule 31 mounted on the flanged neck 28' provided at the proximal end thereof. Ferrule 31 is provided with an externally threaded hub 32 adapted to engage in the internal threads 7 in aperture 8 in the distal end 5 of the barrel 2. Fixedly mounted in hub 32 of ferrule 31 is the usual hypodermic needle (not visible) which is covered by the flexible rubber sheath 27 mounted thereon for sterility purposes.

With the parts of the syringe barrel 2 in the relationship referred to above, and shown in FIG. 3, insertion of the cartridge unit 18 with the sheathed end 27 first results in abutment of said sheathed end 27 with the respective curved surfaces 22 of finger pieces 21, as shown to be imminent in FIG. 4. This causes finger pieces 21 to begin their outward movement. As the cartridge unit 18 is advanced, and the larger diameter screw-threaded hub 32 abuts curved surfaces 22 of finger pieces 21, the latter are caused to extend still further, as shown in FIG. 5. When the maximum diameter portion of the ferrule 31 abuts the flater surfaces 26 of finger pieces 21, the latter are extended to their maximum, at which time said surfaces 26 are in full abutment with ferrule 31. This permits the cartridge unit 18 to be advanced still further, whereby the opposed surfaces of the glass ampule 28 takes over abutment with the fiat surfaces 26 of the finger grips 21, in the same manner, as appears in FIG. 1. The cartridge unit 18 may then be rotated to cause the threaded hub 32 thereof to be engaged in the threads 7 in aperture 8 in the proximal end 5 of barrel 2, thereby to fix the cartridge unit 18 against undesirable axial movement. Thereafter, head 13, with push rod 15 thereon in extended position, is pivoted from the position shown in FIG. 3 to that shown in FIG. 1, and the threaded end of rod 15 affixed to the threaded inset (not visible) of plunger 17 in cartridge unit 18. With such relationship of parts, the assembled hypodermic syringe device is ready for conventional usage after removal of the sheath 27 from the needle (not visible).

To remove the cartridge unit 18 to permit replacement thereof, or to store the syringe barrel 2 per se, the foregoing sequence is substantially reversed. Specifically, the threaded engagement between the distal end of push rod 15 and the inset of plunger 17 is released by rotation of rod 15, the head 13 is swung on its pivot arms 11 free of the open proximal end 9 of barrel 2, the ampule 28 is rotated to unscrew hub 32 from the threads 7 in aperture 8 in the proximal end 5 of barrel 2, the cartridge unit 18 is then withdrawn from barrel 2 through the open proximal end 9 thereof, finger pieces 21 are collapsed inwardly (if they have not assumed such position due to gravity), head 13 is swung back over open end 9 of barrel 2, and push rod 15 is pushed inwardly, whereby syringe barrel 2 is again in condition for storage in a minimum space, as shown in FIG. 2.

In the modified embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 7 and 8; the structures and arrangement of barrel 2', head 13', and finger grips 21 are all substantially identical to the corresponding structures and arrangement of the embodiment described previously. The primary difference is that means are provided for positively urging finger pieces 21' inwardly to collapsed position, as shown in FIG. 7. Such means comprise a leaf spring 33 for each finger piece 21 permanently fastened to the body of the barrel 2' by rivets 34. Each finger piece 21' is provided with an abutment rod 35, at either end of which an arm 36 of a respective spring 33 abuts, as best seen in FIG. 8.

The use and operation of the just described embodiment, including the loading with a cartridge unit 18 and removing the same, is substantially identical to that described for the previous embodiment. The sole difference, as will be readily recognized, is that collapsing of finger pieces 21' is positively urged, regardless of the action of gravity, when a cartridge unit 18 is not positioned in barrel 2.

As already will readily appear to those skilled inthe art, various modifications and other embodiments of the invention are possible and contemplated. Thus, the foregoing descriptions and the accompanying drawings are intended to be exemplary only, and not to limit the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A syringe adapted for use with an insertable cartridge unit, said syringe comprising:

(a) an open-ended barrel having an internal diameter of predetermined dimension adapted to contain a cartridge unit with an external diameter of predetermined dimension;

(b) retaining means at the distal end of said barrel adapted for receiving and maintaining a hub of a removable cartridge unit;

(c) a head mounted at the proximal end of said barrel and having an aperture centrally therethrough;

(d) a push rod reciprocably mounted in the aperture of said head;

(e) a pair of opposed finger grips operatively associated with said barrel;

(f) means pivotably mounting said finger grips at the proximal end of said barrel to permit swinging movement of said finger grips from a first collapsed position wherein said finger grips extend substantially in the direction of the main axis of said barrel, to a second extended position wherein said finger pieces extend substantially radially outwardly from said barrel;

(g) each of said finger grips having a bearing portion which protrudes substantially within the internal diameter of said barrel when said finger grips are in said first collapsed position, and substantially less within the internal diameter of said barrel when said finger grips are in said second extended position.

2. A syringe as defined in claim 1, in combination with an insertable cartridge unit, said cartridge unit compris- (a) an open-ended ampule having an external diameter of predetermined dimension adapted to be retained within said barrel of said syringe;

(b) a ferrule closing one end of said open-ended ampule at the distal end thereof, said ferrule having a hub comprising means adapted to be received and maintained in the distal end of said barrel of said syringe;

(c) a plunger slidably mounted within said ampule at the proximal end thereof, said plunger having means for connection with the distal end of said push to of said head of said barrel; said external diameter of predetermined dimension of sai ampule being such as to bear on said bearing portions said finger grips to maintain the latter in said extende second position.

3. A syringe as defined in claim 1, wherein said hea is mounted on said barrel of said syringe by means Whic permit pivoting of said head from a first position at th open proximal end of said barrel and substantially axial] thereof, to a second position uncovering said open prox mal end of said barrel.

4. A syringe as defined in claim 3, wherein said mear for moving said head from said first to said second pos tions comprise a pair of elongate members attached 2 their proximal ends to said head and pivotally mounte at their distal ends on the body of said barrel and dimer sioned to permit pivotal swinging of said head past sai finger grips even when in the extended second positioi 5. A syringe as defined in claim 1, wherein means a1 provided for resiliently urging said finger grips to sai collapsed first position.

6. The combination of said syringe and cartridge un as defined in claim 2 wherein said means for connectio of said plunger to said push rod comprise complementar threaded means on the proximal end of said plunger an the distal end of said push rod, and said means for mail taining said hub of said removable cartridge unit in t1. distal end of said barrel comprise complementary threade means on said hub and the distal end of said barrel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,671,450 3/1954 Dann 128218. 2,829,643 4/1958 Dbaz l2821 2,994,323 8/1961 Dann et a1. l282l8.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

M. F. MAJESTIC, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SYRINGE ADAPTED FOR USE WITH AN INSERTABLE DIAMETER TRIDGE UNIT, SAID SYRINGE COMPRISING: (A) AN OPEN-ENDED BARREL HAVING AN INTERNAL DIAMETER OF PREDETERMINED DIMENSION ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A CARTRIDGE UNIT WITH AN EXTERNAL DIAMETER OF PREDETERMINED DIMENSION; (B) RETAINING MEANS AT THE DISTAL END OF SAID BARREL ADATED FOR RECEIVING AND MAINTAINING A HUB OF A REMOVABLE CARTRIDGE UNIT; (C) A HEAD MOUNTED AT THE PROXIMAL END OF SAID BARREL AND HAVING AN APERTURE CENTRALLY THERETHROUGH; (D) A PUSH ROD RECIPROCABLY MOUNTED IN THE APERTURE OF SAID HEAD; (E) A PAIR OF OPPOSED FINGER GRIPS OPERATIVELY ASSOCATED WITH SAID BARREL; 